Is this a blogpost?

Is this a blogpost?

Hello to all. To all hello. My friend Ujeane tagged me in something really wonderful, about how someone overcame her depression through food blogging. Since I myself have been able to tide over dark days through food blogging, I thought I should write one post even if its non-sensical. Does non and sensical need a dash in the middle? God knows.

Ooh my maid and I baked some bread today. πŸ™‚

Also, I now am actually, finally living my dream. I work at a super cool cafe. So, from last June (just checked, thats when the blog was updated last), to this April, shit has moved well. I left the “social sector” (have always found that hilarious), and moved into the world of food! The move has not really been easy, it involved sleeping at home for many months, and then a facebook status gave me a break.

So basically this choon is doing well for herself. Some highlights from June 2015 to April 2016.

-A feature in the last issue of Prevention Magazine, India with super healthy vegan recipes!

-A job at a supremely cool cafe

-Hosting friends for a rainbow themed birthday lunch and having another canape party!

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-Successfully completing a Plant Based Culinary Arts course!

-Attending a Partha Chatterjee lecture at JNU!

Ok enough exclamations. Im going to chill for a bit. Love you all. And I think I might resume blogging every Monday!

TYPEWRITER TALES 2: CHERRIES

TYPEWRITER TALES 2: CHERRIES

So for the second typewriter tale, I chose to work with cherries. Cherries are these lovely red, round things which are so beautiful to look at. I photographed them in all their beauty, and found a lovely poem to pair them with. Through typing, I was once again transported to the time of my grandfather going tap-tap-tap, and it was this warm feeling inside. This post includes the cherries and the poem. I did make something with them, but it didnt turn out as expected as the cherries were not sweet. Adding too much white sugar was not on my agenda, and I didnt want to splurge on my date syrup for no apparent reason. So this post is as basic as it gets, just cherries and some typing. πŸ™‚

CHERRIES IN ALL THEIR GLORYΒ 

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AND A POEM TO PAIR WITH. . .Β 

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My grandfather’s typewriter needs repairs, so here is the poem for you to read. I promise to get it repaired soon. Yes.

far from freshly ripened fruit,
i am not here to satisfy ravenous lips,
only to be spit out
like a pit —
only to be useless,
once teeth tear into my flesh.

in this world we devour
in order to avoid
the devouring of ourselves
and what am i supposed to do?
my apparent purpose
is to be enjoyed
to be disposed of
without leaving a vile taste on your tongue,
the way you do mine.

my body is not a promise
to fill your starving stomach
like fruit in late summer,
dangling from a tree.

though like cherries,
my fragile skin bruises
under the turn of coarse hands —
and scrutiny of selfish else
and like cherries
i bruise each time you toss me away
my skin not soft enough
my body failing to meet expectations.
my self worth wanes,
as you pluck me from the tree
only to abandon me among mangled roots
a piece of bruise fruit,
forgotten.

-Bayley Dodd

TYPEWRITER TALES 1: MANGOES – RAW MANGO TARTLETS

TYPEWRITER TALES 1: MANGOES – RAW MANGO TARTLETS

So this is the start of a new series on my blog, where I combine typewriting with regular blog writing to create something beautiful. So the thing is, I recently thought of using my grandfather’s old typewriter, a device he so fondly used. It was an integral part of his life as I saw it, and he would go tap-tap-taping on it whenever he could. He was a retired government officer, and was always busy typing up something or the other. This was the latest technology back then (in the 80s-90s) and he was certainly with the times. πŸ™‚ As he got older however, my uncle bought him a computer. He would then gingerly use that, but I feel he loved his typewriter way more.

He passed away in 2008, and since then, the typewriter has been gathering dust, until I asked my father for it recently. He promptly produced it and I began randomly typing πŸ˜€

It was such a great feeling. We take regular typing for granted (on the computer), but the feeling of the keys going tap-tap-tap is unmatched. I have made some mistakes (come on, it’s my first time!), but the poem is all there.

So for this new series (I promise to keep up!), I will pair a poem about some kind of food with a dish with the same ingredient. So for instance, today, you will see a poem about mangoes and a recipe for raw mango tartlets.

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Now here is the poem, perfectly typed!

EATING MANGOES BY CATE MIGHELL

He bursts in with an armload of mangoes
in various stages of perfect, rotten, or too soft. One rolls to the floor and
without hesitation, he picks it up and bites in, luscious unwashed, juices dripping down his chin.
“It’s warm from the sun,” he says, “and the ground. I found a lot of these on the ground.”

I still my tongue and watch him eat it whole, like he eats all of life.

I asked him recently if he thought I was crazy, as some do.
He said no, I want all the same things.
I wished I could tell him how I always washed my mangoes and wiped my chin,
I thought if I wore a sweater and a slip and a hat at the right times, life would turn out okay.

I’d like to call him, tell him how the wind is blowing hair across my face now.

Instead, I sit quietly, in the backwoods of Virginia
eating an unwashed, unpeeled mango
with the juices dripping down my chin.

RAW MANGO TARTLETS

What you need:

For the crustΒ 

A cup of walnuts

Half a cup of raisins

A tablespoon or more of date syrup

For the filling

One big and one small mango, pureed

What to do:

1. Blend the crust ingredients, and push into a six hole muffin tray. Freeze for 30 minutes.

2. Top with the pureed mango and freeze again, atleast an hour. Then check to see if done.

I have a picture of the pre-freezer stage right now.

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I will post a picture of the finished mango tartlets if that ever happens. I mean I know it will. Bleh. Love you all!

UPDATE! Here is what they look like once outside the freezer.

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BAKED CASHEW CHEESE POPPERS

BAKED CASHEW CHEESE POPPERS

So I’ve started this online cooking course called Rouxbe, and my first assignment was to make a go-to dish. I obvs decided on cashew cheese baked poppers! These are so tasty its not even funny. It does take some effort to make I must admit, but it’s really worth it.

Also it’s a really dreamy and rainy day today, hence you should listen to some super cool Anu Malik πŸ˜€

Accha without further delay, here is the recipe.

BAKED CASHEW CHEESE POPPERSΒ 

What you need:

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4 big red chillies, halved lengthwise

A mini bit of oil to coat them while baking

For the cashew cheese

One handful of cashews

One teaspoon of chilli flakes

One tablespoon of chopped parsley

Two cloves of garlic

A mini knob of ginger, chopped

Juice of one lemon

Six-eight green malabar peppercorns/any other peppercorns

Juice of one lemon (only one, ok)

Salt to taste

WHAT TO DO:

1. Preheat your (only yours) oven to 200 degrees celcius.

2. Make the cashew cheese by blending all the ingredients together with a mini-bit of water, to get a creamy consistency.

3. Spoon it into the chilli halves.

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4. Grease the baking tray with oil, or else individually apply oil to the poppers.

5. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, or until the cashew cheese is slightly brown πŸ™‚ Enjoy as is really, until I come up with a pairing πŸ˜€

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